A: We’d like to start welcoming back Donald Clapp of the US. It has been a long time since we last heard from you, Mr. Clapp. It might have been August 2016.
B: Mr. Clapp sent us a reception report for a VOV broadcast on March 5, 2019 on the frequency of 7315 khz. He wrote: “Last time I received you was October 16, 2016. I used A25 antenna and my analogue portable radio. Today I received you on 7315 khz and heard your English broadcast.”
A: Thank you, Mr. Clapp, for tuning in to VOV and sending us information about the Franconia Notch Region. We hope to receive more feedback from you and will send you a QSL card to confirm your report.
 April is the season of white lilies in Hanoi |
B: In the past few weeks, we have received a lot of feedback from shortwave listeners in the UK who reported good reception of our broadcasts. Our technicians are currently checking our transmission to the UK because some other listeners in that region have complained about the technical quality. We really hope to receive more frequent feedback from you to make our service better.
A: In a letter to VOV this week, Grant Skinner of the UK sent us a reception report for the program on March 2 on the frequency of 7280 khz. He wrote: “When I am listening to my favourite radio station I sit back and relax in anticipation of the enjoyment your shows bring to me. The whole family likes listening to your radio station now.”
B: Mr. Skinner also reported some interference with our broadcast: “The noise came in waves, scratches, sometimes the noise deadened a bit so I could hear some words.”
A: It’s great to hear from you, Mr. Skinner. We’re very happy to know that other members of your family are also interested in shortwave broadcast whose popularity has declined these days due to the boom of other services available on the internet. We hope that you will continue listening to VOV on shortwave which we hope will give you an overview of Vietnam, its current affairs, culture and people. We appreciate your report and will send you a verification card. We will forward your technical reception report to our technicians so they can improve our broadcasts.
B: We’d like to welcome back Allen Dean of the British DX Club whom we last received feedback from 3 years ago though in his letter to VOV dated March 12, he said he continues to hear us regularly on the frequency of 7280 khz.
A: Mr. Dean, we hope to hear from you more regularly. We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your report.
B: Also from the British DX Club, Mr. Will Grocot sent us a reception report for the program on March 9 on the frequency of 9730 khz heard from Stratford Upon Avon. He wrote that the reception was very strong with some phase shifting and rated SINPO at 44434.
A: Thank you, Mr. Grocot, for tuning in to VOV. Our program is also available on the internet at vovworld.vn and on a mobile app called “VOV Media”. We look forward to hearing more frequently from you. We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your report as well as our program schedule and frequency list.
B: This week, Shyamal Kumar Banerjee of India sent us a reception report for the program on April 1st on the frequency of 7220 khz and expressed his interest in Vietnam’s 2019 Census.
 Vietnam’s 2019 Population and Housing Census lasts from April 1st to 25th. |
A: Vietnam’s 2019 Population and Housing Census was launched April 1st and will continue for 25 days. The census will gather information on which to base Vietnam’s socio-economic development strategies and plans until 2030. According to the General Statistics Office, the census will now be updated annually instead of every 10 years.
B: It will be a large-scale census because Vietnam now has 94 million people. The results will serve as the basis for assessing implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which Vietnam has committed to. Portable devices, e-questionnaires, and paper questionnaires will be used to collect the information.
A: The census will gather general population information: birth, death, marital status, disability, academic attainment level, occupation, technological specialization, residence, migration status, and living conditions. It will be updated annually.
B: Preliminary results will be released at the end of this year, and the full census will be published in the second quarter of 2020.
A: This week, many listeners asked about how Vietnam responded to the 2019 Earth Hour Campaign.
 Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (4th from right) and other delegates perform a symbolic gesture at the Switching-off light ceremony in Hanoi (Photo: baotintuc) |
B: Activities were held across Vietnam in response to Earth Hour, an annual global event celebrated on March 30th. The main activity was turning off the lights for one hour at 8:30 pm. Hanoi organized bicycle and walking tours to encourage organizations, schools, families, and individuals to observe Earth Hour. Competitions on energy saving and environmental protection were held and posters and banners were displayed at public places, supermarkets, and schools.
A: This year’s Earth Hour is focused on energy-saving measures and technological solutions of the 4th Industrial Revolution worldwide. Social networks have been used to promote the campaign.
B: Electricity of Vietnam, the HCMC branch, observed Earth Hour by switching off unnecessary lights at its offices and releasing public messages about conserving energy.
A: Son La province’s Power Company distributed leaflets and displayed banners on the main streets. Da Nang city organized meetings and walking tours to raise public awareness of climate change and energy conservation. Quang Binh province encouraged people to switch off electric devices such as TVs, fans, refrigerators, air-conditioners, and lights.
 Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 H’Hen Nie (C) waves participants in Earth Hour campaign |
B: Approximately 490,000kWh of electricity, equivalent to nearly 40,000 USD, was saved in Vietnam during Earth Hour, when lights were turned off from 8:30 to 9:30 pm on March 30. According to the National Load Dispatch Centre, the saved power this year was more than in 2018, when 485,000kWh – equivalent to 36,000 USD was saved.
A: Next, we’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Fumito Hokamura and Hayato Furukawa of Japan, Richard Nowak of the US, Barry Turner of Canada, Muhammad Aqeel Bashir and Saleem Akhtar Chadhar of Pakistan, Prity Singh, Muhammad Shamim, and Siddhartha Bhattacharjee of India, and Munner KP of the United Arab Emirates.
B: We’ll send you all QSL cards to confirm your reports. We welcome your feedback at English service, VOVWorld, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Our email address is englishsection@vov.org.vn. Thank you for listening to VOV on shortwave and following us online. Goodbye until next time.